Freshman Year Lessons: Resist The Pressure To Constantly Party

One of the most important things I've taken away from my freshman year is that you truly have to be careful about not only how you spend your time, but who you chose to spend it with. During the first semester, my roommate and I went out a lot. We had plenty of friends, and had a great time. However, towards the end of the semester, we found ourselves in a bit of trouble. That's when we decided we didn't want to go out all the time anymore. We re-prioritized and started focusing on what truly mattered at school.

More From Seventeen

Once we made the decision to not party anymore, it was crazy how fast all these "friends" dropped. We literally sat there one day and asked ourselves, "What happened to everyone?" When we would go out before, we'd always be with people, or have offers to hang out in a dorm with friends. During second semester, that changed fast. We realized who our true friends were, and the people who wanted to hang out with us for us.

Going off to college, you're going to meet TONS of new people. Everyone is so different, and in the same respect, everyone wants something different out of you. You learn quickly who is actually there for you, and who just wants to have a good time. Mix that with the newfound freedom, and you can find yourself in some sticky situations if you don't play it right.

When I came to school last fall, partying and having a good time seemed like just part of the whole college experience. Don't get me wrong, going out responsibly isn't bad, as long as you can balance it without letting it get in the way of school itself. I learned, though, that it isn't everything. At first, it wasn't much fun sitting in my dorm watching Netflix while all our old "friends" went out to parties. However, it helped in the long run to keep me out of trouble and to focus on my school work!